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The Week That Was in Live Entertainment (Week of May 3)

A lot goes on in our world each week — some news you may catch, and some may slip by your radar. Below are a few articles that caught our attention, and we didn’t want you to miss ’em!

Photo Credit: Susan Mohr via Unsplash

New Code of Conduct Crafted for the Performing Arts: At midnight on May 1, a new collective called We Have Voice released its Code of Conduct to Promote SAFE(R) Workplaces in the Performing Arts. According to NPR’s Michelle Mercer, it’s “an aspirational document that helps define sexual harassment and consent for the unusual workplaces and unique circumstances of the performing arts, offering clarity and tools for anyone who witnesses or experiences harassment.” Vocalist and composer Imani Uzuri, one of the collective’s 14 members, told NPR, “How we work and where we work is so fluid. We might have a rehearsal in the basement of a club or even in someone’s bedroom if we’re in a studio apartment. So it’s all about understanding what consent is in our particular workplaces.”

Where Did Gibson Go Wrong?: Gibson Brands, maker of the famed Gibson guitar, has filed for bankruptcy. Melissa Locker reports for Fast Company that “the Nashville-based company sells over 170,000 guitars annually in 80 countries, per the Tennessean.” So what went wrong? The problem started, Locker writes, when Gibson decided to sell studio monitors, headphones, turntables and other musical instruments. Read the entire article to find out what’s next for Gibson.

This Demographic Is Showing Growth in Arts Engagement: Older people are going out more, reports Giverny Masso for The Stage. According to new government statistics, “the proportion of people in England aged 65 to 74 who engage with the arts at least once a year increased from 71% in 2005-06 to 79% in 2016-17.” Here are a few more interesting facts from the article:

People 16 to 24 were the least likely to attend a play or drama, however they were more likely to go to a musical than those over 65.

People over 65 were considerably more likely to go to the opera than any other age group, and were also the highest attenders of ballet.

Other demographics in which overall engagement has increased in the past decade include those in the lower socio-economic group (up from 64% in 2005-06 to 67% in 2016-17), those who are not working (from 69% to 71%) and people with a long-standing illness or disability (70% to 74%).